What are Huckleberries and Bilberries?
Confused about what a huckleberry or bilberry is? Don’t feel alone. These common names are applied to many different plants growing around the world. Eastern Huckleberries Two species commonly called huckleberries are found in eastern North America. Black huckleberry (Gaylusaccia baccata) is widespread from the southern United States into Canada. Box huckleberry (G. brachycera) is found in the central Appalachians. The fruits resemble blueberries and western huckleberries, but the flavor is typically poor to fair and the fruits contain ten large, hard seeds. Although widespread in eastern North America, the fruits have not proven commercially important. When it came time to domesticate blue fruits for eastern North America, breeders chose highbush, rabbiteye, and lowbush blueberries. Like western huckleberries and domestic blueberries and cranberries, Gaylussacia huckleberries are acid-loving plants found in the heath family (Ericaceae). The University of Idaho is not conducting resear
